Ham and Split Pea Soup
Ham and Split Pea Soup made with leftover ham simmered with split peas, potatoes, and carrots in a savory broth with herbs and spices, perfect for chilly nights!
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 567kcal
Equipment
- 1 medium dutch oven or soup pot
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 medium celery ribs diced
- 3 medium carrots diced
- 1 medium Vidalia onion diced
- 5 medium garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- 1 pound dried split peas rinsed and sorted
- 8 cups chicken stock low sodium, gluten free
- 3 whole bay leaves
- 1 pound cooked ham diced
- 3 medium gold potatoes cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- In a dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and butter. Once the butter has melted, add the carrots, celery, and onion. Cook until the onion becomes translucent, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and black pepper and cook for another minute.
- Add the split peas, bay leaves, and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and place the lid on the pot. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the peas begin to look soft. Once the peas begin to soften, stir more often so they don't stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Stir in the diced ham, potatoes, and fresh thyme. Simmer for another 30 minutes uncovered, or until the peas are breaking apart and the soup thickens. Make sure the potatoes are also fork-tender. Remove and discard the bay leaves and serve.
Notes
Click on the time in the instructions to start a timer!
Storage
The time starts from when you first stored the leftover ham, so if you make this the day after cooking the ham, you can refrigerate for 2-3 days in an airtight container.
Freeze for 2-3 months in a freezer safe container.
Cooking Tips
- Make sure to rinse and check the split peas per the package instructions.
- If you're on a gluten free diet, check the bag of split peas to make sure they're labeled gluten free, and don't contain any other grains from sharing factory lines.
- If the soup is too thick, add extra chicken broth until it reaches the desired texture. Do this towards the end of the recipe, because the peas will break apart and thicken the soup quite a bit.
- If the soup is too thin, try letting it simmer for another 20-30 minutes. The peas thicken the soup as they break down, and may just need some more time.
- Once the peas start breaking down, stir the soup often to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- The peas need about 90 minutes to fully break apart for split pea soup, which is why we're simmering them for a while before adding the ham and potatoes. The potatoes only need about 20-30 minutes to cook through.
Nutrition
Calories: 567kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 2080mg | Potassium: 1560mg | Fiber: 23g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 5430IU | Vitamin C: 43mg | Calcium: 106mg | Iron: 6mg
